03-22-2004, 12:52 AM
US Took The Lead Internationally To Weaken the LTTE Says Former US Ambassador
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 11.50 P.M Sunday 21 March. Former Deputy US Permanent Representative to the UN and former Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Peter Burleigh says the United States took the lead internationally in attempting to isolate and weaken the LTTE and his countries effort crystallized when the LTTE was added to the list of terrorist groups maintained by the US government. Speaking on the role of the US in South Asian Conflicts at a seminar organized by the US/SL Fullbright Commission and the Bandaraniake Center for International Studies (BCIS) on Saturday, Burleigh said " That step by the US made illegal the supply of financial and other support from US citizens to the LTTE. It also has some impact on similar actions taken by other governments, where like the US, there are substantial numbers of Tamil expatriates. While this US action probably had some real financial impact on the LTTE, perhaps more importantly it had a psychological and practical impact which probably made the LTTE leadership more inclined to seek a negotiated settlement." Ambassador Burleigh pointed out that isolating the LTTE internationally has accelerated since the attacks on September 11th 2001 and the resultant UN blessed action against terrorist groups worldwide.
Burleigh also said that over the years the US has taken an active role in encouraging cooperation between the UNP and the SLFP/PA leaderships as they negotiated with the LTTE. He said " Friends of Sri Lanka deeply regret that this has not yet been possible, for such lack of coordinated position undermines government efforts and give the LTTE additional leverage, which in the face of a unified position of the major parties it would not enjoy" Another speaker at the seminar, a former US Assistant Secretary of State, Dr. Walter Anderson said that as a part of the US strategy to root out the forces of extremism, the United States has become more involved in helping to stem the long-running civil strife in Sri Lanka and the more recent but equally virulent Maoist insurgency in Nepal.
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 11.50 P.M Sunday 21 March. Former Deputy US Permanent Representative to the UN and former Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Peter Burleigh says the United States took the lead internationally in attempting to isolate and weaken the LTTE and his countries effort crystallized when the LTTE was added to the list of terrorist groups maintained by the US government. Speaking on the role of the US in South Asian Conflicts at a seminar organized by the US/SL Fullbright Commission and the Bandaraniake Center for International Studies (BCIS) on Saturday, Burleigh said " That step by the US made illegal the supply of financial and other support from US citizens to the LTTE. It also has some impact on similar actions taken by other governments, where like the US, there are substantial numbers of Tamil expatriates. While this US action probably had some real financial impact on the LTTE, perhaps more importantly it had a psychological and practical impact which probably made the LTTE leadership more inclined to seek a negotiated settlement." Ambassador Burleigh pointed out that isolating the LTTE internationally has accelerated since the attacks on September 11th 2001 and the resultant UN blessed action against terrorist groups worldwide.
Burleigh also said that over the years the US has taken an active role in encouraging cooperation between the UNP and the SLFP/PA leaderships as they negotiated with the LTTE. He said " Friends of Sri Lanka deeply regret that this has not yet been possible, for such lack of coordinated position undermines government efforts and give the LTTE additional leverage, which in the face of a unified position of the major parties it would not enjoy" Another speaker at the seminar, a former US Assistant Secretary of State, Dr. Walter Anderson said that as a part of the US strategy to root out the forces of extremism, the United States has become more involved in helping to stem the long-running civil strife in Sri Lanka and the more recent but equally virulent Maoist insurgency in Nepal.
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